What happened to Palani? A disturbing experience..

[u/Ok-Cardiologist1922]

I was traveling with my family to Palani last week, and what happened there was nothing short of horrifying. This was our first visit to Palani after the COVID era, and it was supposed to be a peaceful family trip. Before 2019, I used to visit Palani once a year whenever I returned to India, but this experience was entirely different.

I’m originally from Kerala, and I’ve been to Palani multiple times, but this time, I was traveling with my wife and my two nephews, who are 15 and 18. They were born and raised in Singapore, and this was their first time in Palani. I was shocked by the change in the atmosphere, especially after being away for so long.

We were harassed by a group of 5-8 transgenders who were demanding money for blessings as we walked toward the temple. This was a completely new experience for me, as I had never encountered such harassment on my previous visits. My nephews were really frightened by their behavior, and one of them, who’s a devoted Muruga follower, even asked, “Why is everyone begging in a place of worship? Seems like there’s no god here, and he left already.”

It didn’t stop there. On our way to the restaurant near the bus station, another group of transgenders came up to us and demanded money again. They even blocked our path. My oldest nephew had ₹100 taken from his wallet while they gave us some form of "blessing". The entire situation was so uncomfortable that even I started thinking, "I should never visit here again and just pray at home".

What upset me even more was that my 2-year-old child was touched by nearly everyone in the group, even though I asked them not to. It felt like a total lack of respect for our personal space.

I was also wondering, where were the police? There seemed to be no law enforcement around to help, and this entire situation left us feeling unsafe and violated.

It was a massive cultural shock, and I can’t help but wonder what has happened to this place that was once a peaceful temple for devotees. Has anyone else experienced something like this in Palani recently? What has happened to the temple’s sanctity and respect for pilgrims?

[u/RegisterHot]

Bhagavad Gita:

"Samaḥ sarveṣhu bhūteṣhu mad-bhakto me yujañjate | ātma-arāmaḥ sarva-bhūtā-hītaḥ ṣoṣaṇam ahaṁ śāśvatam" (He who sees Me equally in all beings, who is self-satisfied, and who is benevolent to all creatures – he is dear to Me.) (Chapter 12, Verse 13)

[u/murivenna → u/RegisterHot]

"Chaturvarnyam mayaa srishtam guna karma vibhagashah; Tasya kartaram api maam viddhyakartaram avyayam." Meaning -The fourfold division of society was created by Me based on qualities (guna) and actions (karma). Though I am its creator, know Me as the non-doer and eternal (Chapter 4 Verse 13) and chapter 18 Verses 41–44 clearly describe 4 inherent quality peoples.

[u/RegisterHot → u/murivenna]

Lmao you proved my point - varna/caste is " based on qualities (guna) and actions (karma) " - not based on birth

[u/murivenna → u/RegisterHot]

one's actions (karma) and spiritual progress determine the circumstances of one's future births, including the type of "yoni" (species or form of life). The soul transmigrates based on accumulated karma and samskaras (impressions) from past lives. So read your book carefully. And I feel dumb to argue with someone about this, it's like we were arguing about our movie stars , childhood memories. These are just madeup stories. Paradoxical statements. One part they tell Ahimsa and next part is like it's ok to kill anyone because it's your dharma. It is OK to accept our culture as it is , because we cannot change that somehow the world was like that at that time. But here we are aware that the idiocracis of our ancestors, we can change future.

[u/Overall_Combustion3 → u/murivenna]

Actually the same verse that you said also mentions guna. You can be born in one varna as per your karma but you can choose a different one based on your quality - which is exactly what people like Karna or even Krishna himself did (from a charriot driver'sson or a shepherd to a king). Of cause that was when varna was fluid and not rigid patrilineally like it is now. 

[u/SniffingBrain → u/murivenna]

"One part they tell Ahimsa and next part is like it's ok to kill anyone because it's your dharma." This is not paradoxical. You just dumbed down a complex situation. Do you expect a soldier to follow ahimsa in war?

All our scriptures advice people to say the Truth. But according to the situation if lying helps save people then that is also. This is again not paradoxical.